WESTFIELD, NJ — Jamie Tripp Utitus wrote "Zoe Bowie Sings, Despite All Sad Things" with her very own daughter, Zoe, in mind.

The children’s book, illustrated by Johnny J. Keane, is about an eight-year-old girl coming to grips with, simultaneously, having a new brother and her mama's multiple sclerosis diagnosis — echoing the author’s family’s real story. In the book, Mama's ever-present “glass half-full” outlook only makes Zoe Bowie more angry. To deal with it all, she sings to get the “mean reds” out.

The book shows how Tipp Utitus copes with the disease as a mom—playing “hair salon” when she’s unable to get out of bed or off the couch, for example.

“Six months after the birth of my son, whom we affectionately called Meatball, I found out I had MS. I was training for a marathon and kept falling. I kept telling myself I had a weak core from giving birth. I needed to do more crunches,” said Tripp Utitus. “So I did more crunches and I trained earlier and earlier so no one would see me fall.”

It didn't take long before she realized something was wrong, she said.

“I was a teacher at the time, but I was losing the use of my legs quickly,” she said. “To deal with the depression, I started a blog called Ugly Like Me.”

Ugly Like Me has since been voted America’s Best MS blog by Healthline of 2014. Now Tripp Utitus is writing her first novel, Ugly Like Me, based on it. But the children’s book had to come first.

“My heart was focused on my children, particularly Zoe, who was four when I was diagnosed, now eight. My lifelong dream was to give her a children's book about MS based on her, to show her I appreciate what she has done for me. I notice everything, even when she thinks I'm not watching,” she said.

The thought of writing a book for kids scared her, though.

“The voice inside me said ‘Go for it.’ And I did. ‘Go for it anyway.’ That’s been my mantra for the last year. I have a job and two little children and a disease on top of it, so it was difficult. But I’m glad it was difficult, because it means so much more,” said Tripp Utitus.

Adding to the difficulty level, “It’s very hard to write a book about MS without scaring the bejeasus out of a child,” she noted. “It took a while, but I think that I got there.”

To fund the book, Tripp Utitus launched a Kickstarter campaign. She asked people to post photos of their kids holding up signs that said, “I love someone with MS.”

“We had such an overwhelming response,” she said. “We were fully funded in under 24 hours.”

A book launch is scheduled for May 9 (the author’s birthday) at Well Read Books in Hawthorne, NJ, at 8 p.m.

“Zowie Bowie Sings” is available in bookstores now, or order it online by clicking here. It’s also available as an ebook on Kindle, Amazon and Nook for just 99 cents.

“I wanted all children to have access to it,” said Tripp Utitus. “Being able to price the ebook so low—that’s truly one of my proudest moments in my journey.”

Recent Articles Nearby

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — About 125 people attended the Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual holiday party Thursday at Shackamaxon Country Club. It was the largest turnout yet for the growing organization, which serves Westfield, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Mountainside and Garwood.

“What can I say about this party? It was a great time for all,” GWACC Executive ...

WESTFIELD, NJ — In January, Westfield public schools will begin registering children who will become eligible for kindergarten in the 2017-2018 school year, the district announced Friday. The district also wants to register children who are not attending Westfield Public Schools for kindergarten but will enter first grade there in the fall.

WESTFIELD, NJ — Sherry Cronin, executive director of the Downtown Westfield Corporation, recently delivered a van load of non-perishable food to the Westfield Food Pantry thanks to the many people who donated during Downtown Westfield’s photos with Santa event over Thanksgiving weekend.

It was the 15th year for the event with Santa & Mrs. Claus of Joannie Productions, hailed as ...

BRIDGEWATER NJ — The Patriots Path Council of the Boy Scouts of America honored TAPinto founder and publisher Mike Shapiro on Wednesday at its 2016 Toast to Scouting Awards Dinner at the Raritan Valley Country Club. Shapiro was one of five recipients.

The Patriots Path Council, which serves Central and Northern New Jersey, presents the award to those who exemplify in their daily ...

NEWARK, NJ - Authorities announced that they have arrested Khalil Wheeler-Weaver, 20, of Orange, who is suspected of the murder of Sarah Butler, according to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Montclair Police Chief Todd Conforti.

Butler, a 20-year-old Montclair resident reported missing on Nov. 23, was found dead on Dec. 1 in Eagle Rock ...

The seasonal influenza vaccination program is continuing. A pediatric flu clinic will be held on Friday, Dec. 9, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Municipal Building. All children who attend preschool must be vaccinated. A simple vaccination can prevent the flu and protect the children. It is best to ...

Eighth grade students at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison visit the Giving Tree, from which they selected ornaments with gift suggestions for autistic children attending the Crossroads School in Westfield. The gifts will be delivered to the school for autistic children next week.

It’s that time of year again when millions of Americans are thinking of making New Year’s Resolutions. The question is…will they keep them? Studies reveal that only 10% of Americans keep their resolutions for an entire year. You can change that statistic!

You can become more active. The hardest thing to do is to get started. Once started, make ...

It is that most wonderful time of the year when every day becomes a mad scramble to attend parties, meet family obligations, buy gifts and, in between, get work done. The holiday season engenders feelings of nostalgia, hope and gratitude. And, with that, we spend incredible sums of money, sometimes without thinking. Generosity is a virtue, so here are some basic tips on giving to ...

MADISON, NJ – It’s clear the Welsh love to sing as the evening moves on with relatives gathering for Christmas dinner at the Thomas home in Wales.

The play opens with three children and then a chorus singing “In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,” a melancholy tune that conjures visions of Swansea, a village in Wales, with “fallen snow on ...

The law firm of Lindabury, McCormick, Estabrook & Cooper, P.C., recently played host to the Fall meeting of LEGUS, is an international network of high quality mid-sized law firms located across the globe. More than 60 firms from across the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East sent senior level representatives to the two-day meeting held at the W Hotel in Hoboken. ...

Any armchair theoretical physicist knows that Stephen Hawking has pursued a lifelong quest to come up with a Theory of Everything. This all-encompassing theory would tie together general relativity (large scale and high mass galaxies, stars, etc), quantum theory (quantum mechanics, quarks, atoms, subatomic particles), and Newtonian physics (gravity on small bodies, gas laws, electromagnetism) to ...

One of the gifts of working in the field of children’s grief support is the support I receive from my family and friends. They always have their eyes peeled for interesting articles that relate to grief and loss. Usually they send the articles to me with a kind note, like “this made me think of you” or “thought you’d be interested in this!”

At Holy Trinity School, Kindergarten is cool! In Kindergarten, students learn the fundamental skills necessary to thrive in a school environment. The Holy Trinity Kindergarten is a full-day, faith-based program focused on reading readiness, language development, math, and science concepts. Students also take part in several special classes each week that include music, library, ...

GWACC has announced today that it will be visiting irresistible Southern Italy & Amalfi Coast, departing Oct. 11, 2017 and is inviting chamber members, and family and friends of chamber members to join them on this once in a lifetime experience.

Rich in culture and stunning scenery, irresistible Southern Italy is the setting for this breathtaking journey. Enjoy an eight day ...

With the objective of fostering students' critical thinking, imagination and creativity, Westfield Public School librarian Christine Pitarresi has spearheaded a new program at Tamaques Elementary, called "Makerspace." Observing current trends and needs for growing minds, Ms. Pitarresi enthusiastically noted, "We used to be a society of makers, now we are ...

BRIDGEWATER NJ — The Patriots Path Council of the Boy Scouts of America honored TAPinto founder and publisher Mike Shapiro on Wednesday at its 2016 Toast to Scouting Awards Dinner at the Raritan Valley Country Club. Shapiro was one of five recipients.

The Patriots Path Council, which serves Central and Northern New Jersey, presents the award to those who exemplify in their daily ...